Improvement in hoisting-machines



'W. 0. WILLIAMSON Hoisting Maohine'.

No. 203,803. Patented May 14,1878.

UNITED STA Es PATENT OEEIoE.

WILLIAM G. WILLIAMSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TOWILLIAMSON BROTHERS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN HOlSTlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,808, dated May 14,1878; application filed April 18, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM 0. WILLIAM- SON, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulDevice for the Engagement and Disengagement of Machinery, of which thefollowing is a specification:

The engagement and disengagement are effected by means of block on thesame shaft. The contact or actin g faces of the blocks are spirallyformed or inclined, to correspond and exactly fit one against the other.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a hoistingmachine. The winding drum andthe frictional driving-wheel are shown engaged in section. The drumturns loosely and has a longitudinal motion on the shaft. The frictionaldriving wheel turns with the shaft and is without longitudinal motion.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a friction-clutch. The clutch-wheel andthe pulley are shown, disengaged, in section. The clutch wheel moves onand turns with the shaft. The pulley turns loosely on the shaft.

Figs. 3 and 4 are views of the fixed and loose blocks, showing thespirally formed or curved inclined contact-faces.

A, Fig. 1, is the driving-shaft of a hoistingmachine in suitablebearings; B, the frictional driving-wheel, which turns with the shaft;and G, the winding-drum, capable of moving round and sliding on theshaft. D is a fixed box or collar, and E a loose box or collar, in bothof which the shaft A turns. Their contact or acting faces a b areinclined or spirally formed so as to exactly fit one against the other,the advancing incline being in the direction which the drum 0 must slideto engagethe wheel B. If necessary, a stop or olfset, 0, can be made inthe contact-faces of the boxes or collars D E, for limiting the extentof the motion of the loose collar.

While the fixed box D is shown herein as a part of the housing, it maybe fastened to any device which will hold it at the required point onthe shaft.

F is a spiral or other suitable spring, placed between the hub of thedriving-wheel B and the hub of the drum 0.

The drum 0 and the driving-wheel B are engaged by turning the lever G inthe direction of the advancing incline of the con a fixed block and aloose tact -faces of the boxes, which causes the loose box E to slideforward and push the drum into contact with the wheel and partake of itsmotion. The disengagement is effected by turning the lever in theopposite direction, or that of the retreating incline of thecontactfaces of the boxes, which relieves the drum of their pressure,and permits it to react and throw the drum and wheel apart, though theywill often slide free of each otherwithout the aid of the spring. Thepitch of the spiral or inclined contact of the faces of the blocks mustbe sufficient for whatever space the drum 0 may have to slide on theshaft A in making its contact with the wheel B, in increasing thefrictional contact regularly to any degree of pressure, and incommunicating the motion without shock.

The engagement and disengagement devices D E can be applied to othermechanisms than that of a hoisting-machine. Fig. 2 shows it applied to afriction-clutch.

H is a clutch-pulley or gear-wheel, revolving freely on the shaft I,with which it is required occasionally to be connected in order to givemotion. J is a clutch or friction contact wheel, which slides along andturns with the shaft I by means of a feather or lzey. F is a spring, andD E the fixed and loose bdxes.

I have illustrated and described my invention, the en gagement anddisengagement boxes E, in. connection with a hoisting-machine and a'riction-clutch. I wish it distinctly understood that I do not confinethe invention to its connection with those machines, but claim itgenerally in its application for the engagement and disengagement ofmachinery.

I claim as my invention- In a hoisting-machine, the fixed box or collarD forming a part.of the frame of the machine and having aspirally-formed face, as described, and the loose collar E provided witha correspondingly-formed face and the lever G, combined with theshaft-carrying frictional hoisting-gear, and the springF, substantiallyas specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my name in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. WILLIAMSON. Witnesses:

Fnmvors D. PAsToRIUs, ALEXANDER J. DIAMOND.

